What does God require of ministers of the church, and how does he want them to dispense His mysteries?

Paul covers this very briefly 1 Co 4:2, 4. Let the dispensers of the mysteries of God therefore set before themselves the future judgment of God, in which they will be rewarded [according to] the measure of faithfulness before the judgment seat of Christ.

What things are required to render that faithfulness?

Third. A minister of the Word ought not only teach things true and in harmony with the divine Word. But he ought also render his faithfulness to God and the church entrusted to him in this, that he at the same time rightly feed the sheep and hold off the wolf from the sheepfolds, or as Luther says, he should do both, nourish and defend. He ought therefore neither defend nor cover up or paper over false doctrine, but oppose it openly and plainly and warn his flock to beware of it. Eze 13:10; Jn 10:5; Mt 7:15; Tts 1:9-11, 13; Acts 20:29, 31. But he is not to stir up all kinds of unnecessary disputes and strifes about words instead of a discourse, and arouse his hearers with untimely clamoring, but only fight against adversaries in necessary conflicts, without which purity of doctrine cannot be retained. And in these very things let him always have regard to his hearers, as to what is useful and necessary for their edification, so that they might continue in sound doctrine and be able to protect themselves against the ferment of false doctrine.

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About Rev. Paul L. Beisel

Graduate of Concordia Theological Seminary, Fort Wayne, IN in 2001 (M Div.) and 2004 (S.T.M.); LC-MS Pastor and Adjunct Instructor for John Wood Community College; Husband of Amy and father of Susan, Elizabeth, Martin, and Theodore.